Kernel crash Lenovo QCNFA765 / ath11k_pci when attching to certain networks

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Ok, time for a bug report, and in parallel, more testing!
We can’t rule out the firmware, as it’s possible this is just an unknown bug upstream in the kernel, driver, or firmware.

First, let’s get that bug filed.

Filing a bug against the kernel

Prerequisites

  1. Ubuntu Single Sign-On (SSO) account
  2. Access to the affected system
  3. Internet connection (even if intermittent)

Setting Up Launchpad Account

  1. Go to launchpad.net
  2. Click “Log in / Register”
  3. Choose “Log in with Ubuntu”
  4. Use your Ubuntu SSO credentials
  5. Complete your Launchpad profile if prompted

Preparing Your System

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run these commands:

# Update package lists
sudo apt update

# Install all available updates
sudo apt upgrade

# If a kernel update was installed, reboot your system
# Check if reboot is needed:
[ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && echo "Reboot required"

If a reboot is required, restart your system before proceeding.

Filing the Bug Report

  1. Open a terminal and run:

    ubuntu-bug linux

  2. This will collect system information and open your web browser to complete the bug report.

Writing an Effective Bug Report

Include the following information in your description:

  1. What you were doing when the problem occurred
  2. What you expected to happen
  3. What actually happened
  4. Clear steps to reproduce the issue:
    • Starting conditions (fresh boot, after suspend, etc.)
    • Exact actions taken
    • How frequently the issue occurs
  5. Your wireless hardware details (if known)
  6. Any relevant error messages from system logs
  7. A link to this discussion

Example format:

Summary: Wireless connection drops after suspend on ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Steps to reproduce:
1. Suspend laptop by closing lid
2. Wait 5 minutes
3. Open lid to resume
4. Wireless connection fails to reconnect

Expected: Wireless should automatically reconnect
Actual: Network manager shows no wireless networks available

Frequency: Happens 100% of the time after suspend

Additional notes:
- Issue started after upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04
- Using Intel AX200 wireless card
- Only way to fix is to reboot

After Submission

  1. Note your bug report number
  2. Monitor your email for questions from developers
  3. Update the bug report if you discover new information
  4. Test any proposed solutions and report back on their effectiveness

Important Tips

  • Keep the bug report focused on one specific issue
  • Respond promptly to requests for additional information
  • If asked to test with a newer kernel or different driver, provide clear feedback
  • Update the bug status if you find a workaround or if the issue resolves

If you have time, inclination and nothing else going on, we could look at trying a newer kernel, from the “Kernel PPA” (note: Not actually a PPA), which contains unmodified versions of the upstream Linux Kernel, built automatically for people like us. It’s not meant to be run in production, and isn’t supported at all.

But they’re useful for testing if a really new kernel works, and if it does, can we “bisect” back and forth until we find the exact (or near enough) release it broke in.

At the start of this thread we saw you are currently on 6.8.0-49-generic. So we could jump somewhat higher to jump to like v6.12.3 for example.

Installing a Mainline Kernel in Ubuntu

Prerequisites

  • Ensure you have wget installed
  • A stable internet connection
  • Sufficient disk space
  • Administrator (sudo) privileges

Finding the Right Kernel Version

  1. Visit the Ubuntu Mainline Kernel PPA website:

    https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/

  2. Versions are listed by date and kernel version. Choose the version you need:

    • v6.x.x - Latest stable mainline kernels
    • v6.x.x-rc - Release candidates (testing)
    • Navigate to the specific version directory

Downloading the Kernel Packages

For AMD64/x86_64 systems, you need these files:

  • linux-headers-*-generic
  • linux-headers-*
  • linux-image-unsigned-*-generic
  • linux-modules-*-generic

Example commands (replace VERSION with your chosen version, e.g., 6.7.0):

cd ~/Downloads
wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v${VERSION}/amd64/linux-headers-${VERSION}-generic_${VERSION}.deb
wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v${VERSION}/amd64/linux-headers-${VERSION}_${VERSION}.deb
wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v${VERSION}/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-${VERSION}-generic_${VERSION}.deb
wget https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v${VERSION}/amd64/linux-modules-${VERSION}-generic_${VERSION}.deb

Installing the Kernel

  1. Install the packages in the correct order:

    cd ~/Downloads
sudo dpkg -i linux-headers-*.deb linux-image-unsigned-*.deb linux-modules-*.deb

  2. Reboot your system:

    sudo reboot

Verifying the Installation

After reboot, check your kernel version:

uname -r

Reverting if Needed

If the new kernel causes issues:

  1. Reboot and hold SHIFT to access GRUB menu
  2. Select “Advanced options for Ubuntu”
  3. Choose your previous kernel version
  4. Remove the mainline kernel:
    sudo apt remove linux-headers-VERSION-generic linux-image-unsigned-VERSION-generic linux-modules-VERSION-generic

Important Notes

  • Replace VERSION with actual kernel version numbers in all commands
  • These kernels are unsupported and for testing only
  • Some hardware-specific features might not work
  • Keep your stable kernel installed as a backup
  • Not all kernel versions will work with all hardware
  • Proprietary drivers might need to be reinstalled

Enjoy!